Acts 3:17

Acts 3:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
• New International Version (NIV)“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

Context of Acts 3:17

15But you killed the Prince (Author, Originator, Source) of life, whom God raised [bodily] from the dead. To this [fact] we are witnesses [for we have seen the risen Christ]. 16And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health and complete wholeness in your presence. “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance [not fully aware of what you were doing], just as your rulers did also. 18And so God has fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) would suffer. 19So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];

Acts 3:17 word by word

καὶ νῦν, ἀδελφοί, οἶδα ὅτι κατὰ ἄγνοιαν ἐπράξατε, ὥσπερ καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• I wotεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• throughκατάkata · according toG2596
• ignoranceἄγνοιαagnoia · ignoranceG52
• ye didπράσσωprassō · to do/requireG4238
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• rulersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• rulersἄρχωνarchōn · rulerG758

Cross-references for Acts 3:17

• Acts 7:40They said to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
• Genesis 21:26Abimelech said, “I do not know who did this thing. Indeed, you did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today.”
• Genesis 39:8But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me in the house, my master does not concern himself with anything; he has put everything that he owns in my charge.
• Genesis 44:15Joseph spoke harshly to them, “What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can indeed practice divination and foretell [everything you do without outside knowledge of it]?”
• Exodus 32:1Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered together before Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
• Numbers 22:6Now please come, curse these people for me, for they are too powerful for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know [your reputation] that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
• Romans 11:2God has not rejected His [chosen] people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
• Philippians 1:22If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice].
• Acts 13:27For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, who failed to recognize or understand both Jesus and the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled these [very prophecies] by condemning Him.
• Numbers 15:24then it shall be, if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat as a sin offering.
• Luke 23:34And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing His clothes among themselves.
• John 7:26Look, He is speaking publicly, and they say nothing to Him! Is it possible that the rulers really know that this is the Christ?
• John 16:3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
• 1 Corinthians 2:8None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;
• 2 Corinthians 3:14But [in fact] their minds were hardened [for they had lost the ability to understand]; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed [only] in Christ.
• 1 Timothy 1:13even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.

Commentaries on Acts 3:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I wot - , I know. Wot is from the Anglo-Saxon, to know; and hence wit, science or understanding. Through ignorance ye did it - This is a very tender excuse for them; and one which seems to be necessary, in order to show them that their state was not utterly desperate; for if all that they did to Christ had been through absolute malice, (they well knowing who he was), if any sin could be supposed to be unpardonable, it must have been theirs. Peter…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17And now, brethren - Though they had been guilty of a crime so enormous, yet Peter shows the tenderness of his heart in addressing them still as his brethren. He regarded them as of the same nation with himself; as having the same hopes, and as being entitled to the same privileges. The expression also shows that he was not disposed to exalt himself as being by nature more holy than they. This verse is a remarkable instance of tenderness in appealing to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Observe the difference in the manner of working the miracles. Our Lord always spoke as having Almighty power, never hesitated to receive the greatest honour that was given to him on account of his Divine miracles. But the apostles referred all to their Lord, and refused to receive any honour, except as his undeserving instruments. This shows that Jesus was one with the Father, and co-equal with Him; while the apostles knew that they were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17brothers: This was a common way to address each other (13:15, 26, 38; Genesis 27:29; Leviticus 10:6; 25:46; Numbers 20:3; Deuteronomy 1:28; 24:7; Joshua 22:3–4; 2 Samuel 2:26; Ezekiel 11:15). in ignorance: See Acts 17:30; 1 Timothy 1:12–14. The Christian message challenges this lack of knowledge. The gospel calls everyone to respond with faith and to repent (Acts 2:38).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2117-21. And now, brethren--Our preacher, like his Master, "will not break the bruised reed." His heaviest charges are prompted by love, which now hastens to assuage the wounds it was necessary to inflict. I wot--"know." through ignorance ye did it--(See marginal references, Lu 23:34; Ac 13:27; 26:9).Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 3:17

• Blindness
• Courage
• Ignorance
• Minister, Christian
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Alms
• Convert
• Foretell
• Glorify
• Peter
• Prince
• Repent
• Restitution
• Wonder
• Acts of the Apostles

Commentaries on Acts 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings